Flat knitting machine



Oct. 27, 1953 E. s. BARSBY E11-AIA.y

FLAT KNITTING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 16, 1950 L HM- Mw--.Obl ...ww N SVN m s Q mw om, .,HII M. QQ w m w www omf 27, 1953 E. S.BARSBY ET AL FLAT KNITTING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 16, 1950E. S. BARSBY ET AL FLAT KNITTING MACHINE oct. 27, 1953 Filed May 16,1950 9 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inven ana Oct. 27, 1953 E. vs. BARSBY ETAL FLATKNITTING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 16, 1950 Oct. 27, 1953 E. s.BARsBY ET AL 2,656,694

FLAT KNITTING MACHINE Filed May 16, 1950 9 SheetSheet 5 E. S. BARSBY ETAL FLAT KNITTING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed May 16, 1950 I nventorSOct. 27, 1953 E. s. BARSBY ET AL 2,655,694

FLAT KNITTING MACHINE Filed May 16, 1950 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 45 l Mge /ffIl v I 9 30 27 $1 lll" 9 ll| mmm 3 l lm '9. 9 b 6 o Inventors Oct. 27,1953 E. s. BARsBY ET Al. 2,656,694

FLAT KNITTING MACHINE Filed May 16, 1950 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 F/G. /O

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FLAT KNITTING MACHINE Filed May 16, 1950 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 [Ill- By wwwPatented Oct. 27, 1953 FLAT KNITTING MACHINE Edward Samuel Barsby andAlfred Percy Saunders, Leicester, England, assignors to Wildt andCompany Limited, Leicester, England, a British company Application May16, 1950, Serial No. 162,318 In Great Britain May 17, 1949 17 claims. l

This invention relates to single or multi-head flat knitting machines,and has reference particularly to the mechanism incorporated in suchmachines for controlling yarn carrier stops when producing fullfashioned hosiery and the like.

It is principally the intention to apply the invention to straight barknitting machines.

A machine of the class to which this invention is confined includes twogroups of yarn carriers located at respectively opposite ends of themachine, each yarn carrier being attached to a reciprocatory driver baror rod. The yarn carriers of one end group are attached to alternatedriver bars or rods of a set, iwhilst the yarn carriers, of the oppositeend group are attached to the intervening bars or rods. Moreover, toeach carrier in such an end group there are provided, at the same end ofthe machine, a xed end or home stop and also a longitudinally movableend stop the position of which latter is automatically variable asknitting proceeds. The yarn carriers included in each end group areassociated with pieces adapted for contact with the fixed and movableend stops. The driver bars or rods, together with their yarn carriersand associated Contact pieces, are brought into commission selectively.Ignoring for the moment means for the production of spliced orreinforced areas, there is, in a single head machine, only one yarncarrier attached to each driver bar or rod, this carrier being employedduring the production of a single fashioned fabric blank. In amulti-head machine, on the other hand, two or more suitably spaced yarncarriers are attached to each driver bar or rod, depending on the numberof fashioned blanks to be produced at a time. Now when any particularbar or rod is selected, the contact piece associated with the yarncarrier, or the appropriate yarn carrier, attached to the said bar orrod, first moves away from the iixed home stop and passes by the movableend stop at the same end of the machine. Then either the same contactpiece (in the case ci a single-head machine) or a contact pieceassociated with the other yarn carrier, or the remote yarn carrier of aset of three or more, on the same driver bar or rod (in the case of amultihead machine), comes into contact with a longitudinally alignedmovable end stop at the opposite end of the machine. Thereupon, the yarncarrier or carriers on the same bar or rod` reciprocates or reciprocatebetween the said two aligned movable end stops until the carrier orcarriers is or are next taken out of commission- 'atwhich time it isnecessary for the carrier bar or rod to be returned to its originalposition with the rst mentioned contact piece abutting the xed homestop. Before such return can take place, however, the said contact piecemust, of course, pass freely by the corresponding movable end stop, allas well known to those acquainted with knitting machines of the classconcerned.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide, in a atknitting machine of the class just described, a simple and compact yarncarrier stop control mechanism designed to facilitate the foregoingmovements.

Another object is to provide improved. mounting means for the yarncarriers combined with contact pieces of novel form and disposition, aswill be hereinafter described.

ccording to this invention, a housing at each end of the machine for agroup of movable end stops is adapted to be moved laterally, i. e.aside, in relation to the yarn carrier driver bars or rods for thepurpose of enabling any contact piece associated with a yarn carrierattached to a selected bar or rod, when the latter is moved to take thesaid yarn carrier out of action, to pass by the appropriate movable endstop and return into contact with the corresponding xed home stop.

Whenever a group of movable end stops has been moved bodily aside toenable a contact piece to pass freely by the relevant movable end stop,the group is then automatically restored to its original position inreadiness for the proper functioning of the yarn carrier or carriersnext selected and brought into operation.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and readilycarried into practical eifect, a specic constructional example of theimproved yarn carrier stop control mechanism as applied to a straightbar full fashioned knitting machine will now be described with referenceto the accompanying drawings, wherein,

Figures l and la are a front elevational view of so much of the saidmachine as is necessary to illustrate the application of the inventionthereto,

Figures 2 and 2a are a plan view of the same,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing more clearly theslidable housing at one end of the machine in which are mountedindividual longitudinally movable carrier members for a group of movableend stops,

Figure 4 is a detail, part sectional view, illustrating the connectionsby which the movable end stop housings are pulled aside and the controlmeans therefor,

3 Figure 5 is a side view as seen from the appropriate end of themachine, of the pawl and ratchet and associated mechanism for effectingthe required step-by-step movements of the groups of movable end stopstowards and away from eaclikotl'1er Figure 6 is a pers ective viewillustrating an alternate manner of mounting a group of movable endstops in a laterally shiftable housing,

Figures 7-12 are a series of detail irontelevational views depictingsuccessive movements of a yarn carrier rst when moving into commissionaway from a fixed home stop, 'and then when being taken out of actionand returned to the said home stop, and

Figure 13 is a somewhat similau view to any one of Figures 7-12 showing,however, aiparticlar arrangement of movable end stops and acont'actpiece suitable for use ina single head machine and adapted to reduce thewidth of the machine t-a minimum, a's .will be hereinafter described.

Eike-parts are designated by similar reference characters throughout thedrawings.

Referring to `Figures 1 and '2, it will be seen that the full fashionedstraight Abar knittingmachine includes 'a group of yarn 'carriers suchas l at e'ach end of the machine, each of these carriers being tted witha tube 2 for guiding a yarn to the needles of the machine. Each yarncarrier I', moreover, is 'mounted on a flat vertically disposed plate 3which is attached by means .of screws to a lrecipr'ocable driver bar 4.,V'Ihere is, therefore, a set of paralleldriver bars :t arranged one'behind the Aother in the same horizontal plane. The yarn carriersl `ofone end g'roup are attached Ito alternate vdriver 'bars 4, whilst theyarn carriers of the opposite end group are attached 't`o theintervening driver bars. Thus, as, i'n the vspecific machine'illustrated there are seven driver bars '4 in the lset, there will be agroup of vfour yarn carriers I at the right-hand s`i`de,'and a smallergroup of three such carriers at theleft-"hand side of the machine. rlfhepair of "yarn carriers on the two driver bars nearest to the front ofthe machine (designated I1) are for supplying splicing orpreinforcirigthreads, as will be hereinafter'm'ore fully described.

Each reciprocable yarn carrier driver b'ar '4 is iiiounte'dformovementlongitudinally in a channe d ban housing 5 having attached theretospaced' guide rails Fit.l

The referencenumer'al'i in Figure 1 indicates a `portieri4o'fthe's'inker head of the machine, and a few of the s'irikers/anddividersare indicated, in purely diagrammatic fashion, at 'I. i w

in accordance with conventional practice, there 'isprovided'to each yarncarrier I of the groups at respectively lopposite ends of the machineariiXed home stop 3 and also 'a longitudiiially movable endl's'ft'op 9.The plate 3 upon 'which each such carrier is mounted has formed upon theback thereoiadjacent toV its Vupper edge `a lug 'IU'fcons'tituting'acontact'piece adapted for cnta'ctwiththe relevant xed and movable endstop's'and '9 respectively. v

As will be readilyappreciated byr thfos'efacduaintedwith 'theconstruction of knitting machines ofthe class concerned, all Vof Y theend stops 9 are outside stops forv controlling lthe width voftheffabric.V In, addition to such stops the machine is 'alsofurnishe'dwith two inside stops II forv c ontrollingthev aforementioned pair ofyarn carriers (I1) (supplying Splicing or reinforcing threads. Eachdriverbar 4 to whicha splicing yarn carrier I1 is attached, also hasattached 4 thereto, at an appropriate distance away from the saidcarrier, an auxiliary plate I2 having formed on the back thereof a lugI3 constituting a contact piece for co-operation with the correspondinginside stop II.

ihe well known arrangement of stops illus-y trated is suitable foreither a single or a multihead machine. In the case of a multi-headmachine, however, each reciprocable driver bar fwould have attachedthereto two or more yarncarriers.

4 l Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, it will be seen .that there isprovided for the group of six movable end stops S; at each end of themachine, a

f' corresponding number of individual carrier members I4 housedandlongitudinally slidable within ahoufsing `I 5 which, in accordance withthe characteristic feature of this invention, is adapted to be movedlaterally in relation to the yarn carrier driver bars 4, for the purposeof shifting the movable end stops aside en bloc and thereby enabling anyContact piece lli on the plate 3 of a yarn carrierattached to a :driverbar moving to take the said carrier out of action, to pass freely by theappropriate `movable end stop 9 and return into contact with thecorresponding fixed home stop. As shown more clearly in Figure 3, 'eachhousing Ji 5, is formed with longitudinally extending parallel groovesor channels I6 to receive the individual carrier members I4 which latterare in the form of toothed lbars or racks (hereinafter for conveniencereferred to as rack bars'). These rack bars Vare held in position Withinthe housings by Ameansof cover plates I'I which serve to close theinitially 'open sides of the groovesor channels I6. rThe rack bars I4are disposed above the rails 5 housing the corresponding yarn carrierdriver bars 4. Each housing I5, moreover, extends across and is slidablelaterally within a pair of xed Vfront and rear supporting brackets 'I 8and I9 respectively.

Extending between and mounted in suitable bearings infe'ach such pair offixed brackets is a toothed'roller or gear 20 the lower portionof whichprotrudes'through an aperture in the correspcn'dingcover plate I'I forengagement with all ofthe raciibars I4'of the relevant group. By reasonof this construction, 'whenever the said toothedro'ller or gear 26 isturned, all ofthe'rack bars meshing therewith will simultaneously bemoved in the samedirection and to the same extent: `apart 'from this,whenever the corresponding housing I5 is moved laterally (aside),engagement between the rack bars I4 and the toothed roller vor gear 20will be maintained, thereby inturn maintaining the positions of theseveral movable end stops 9 of the group relatively to each other.` Y

l VAtitsiiiner end, each of the rack bars I4 is slotted, asindicatecl'atfZI in Figure 1, and to this slottedportion is aiiixed, byrivets 22, a bracket 2 3. Mounted for adjustment longitudinally uponeach bracket 2`3is a slide 24 adapted to be'locked in position byn'ieansY of screws 25. Pivotally mounted upon theslide 24 by a pivot pin26 is oneof theehd stops 9. This stop can yield and s win'ghforwar'dfreely, but is positively prevented from movement'backwards by contactof a tail portion 3a thereonwith the underside vof the bracket`23, asshown in Figure 1. In this'way, each end 'stop `9 is enabled to presenta solid, unyieldable face 9b to the contact piece lIll on the plate 3vof the relevant yarn carrier when this is in commission.

Byrmaking the slides 24 longitudinally adv iustable, the movable endstops 9 can be, individually adjusted in relation to the rack bars I4 toenable the tubes 2 on the yarn carriers to be correctly located betweenthe sinkers at the knitting location.

Each slide 24 has accommodated therein a vertical plunger` 21 which iscontrolled by a compression spring 28. The upper end of the stem of thisplunger is screw-threaded to receive nuts 29 which, by contact with thetop of the slide 24, serve to limit the downward movement of theplunger. Each of the plungers 2l is adapted for co-operation with abevel formation 30 on the plate 3 of the appropriate yarn carrier forthe purpose of checking the said carrier and preventing rebound thereofat the relevant end stop 9. That is to say, when the contact piece i9 ofany selected yarn carrier, during operation of the latter, moves intoengagement with an end stop 9, the associated spring plunger 2l willsnap into position on the appropriate bevel formation 39, thereby firmlyholding the contact piece in certain engagement with the said stop. Inthis way, a good selvedge line is imparted to the fabric. The plate 3supporting a yarn carrier I for use in a multi-head machine would onlyrequire to have one bevel formation, either right or left hand. The sameremark applies to the plate 3 of a splicing yarn carrier |1. For use ina single head machine, however, each yarn carrier plate 3 must beprovided at respectively opposite sides of the contact piece I0 thereonwith two bevel formations 36, one righthand and the other left-hand.Plates of the last mentioned form are illustrated, by way of example, ineach of Figures 6-13, whereas right and left-hand plates each havingonly one bevel formation 39 are shown in Figure l. But for the sake ofstandardisation, it is proposed that the plates 3 shall all be made withtwo bevel formations 39 so that identical plates can be used in either asingle or a multi-head machine.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the cover plate Il' of each movable endstop housing I5 has provided thereon an upstanding stud 3| to which isconnected one end of a Bowden or like flexible cable 32 the opposite endof which is attached to a fulcrummed cam lever 33. rPhe toe 34 of thislever is arranged to be acted upon by cams, such as 35 and 36, affixedto the control drum 3l of the machine. Each flexible cable 32 extendsthrough and is movable longitudinally within a fixed tubular housing 38one end of which is secured in a union 39 which is screwed into the backof the corresponding rear bracket I9. The opposite end of each tubularhousing 38 is fixed in a bracket 49 located near to and above the camlever 33. A compression spring 4|, arranged to surround each cable 32,is interposed between the stud 3l and the corresponding union 39. Thehousings l5 are therefore adapted to be pulled aside by the cables 32,against the action of the springs 4|, at the required times dictated bythe common control means, and to be restored to their original positionsby the said springs.

The rearmost rack bar |4 of each of the two groups of such bars hasattached thereto a U- shaped element 42 (see Figure 2) which is engagedby a driving dog 43 mounted on a part which is slidably engaged with aguide rail 44 and is attached to a nut N in turn engaged with a screwedshaft 45. This shaft has right and lefthand threaded portions 45a and45h-the portion 45a for engagement with the nut N carrying the dog 43for driving the right-hand group of rack bars |4, and the other portion45h` forfengagement with the nut similarly carrying the dog for drivingthe left-hand group of rack bars. It is to be clearly understood,however, thateach dog 93 of itself serves to move one rack bar only,corresponding movement being transmitted to the remaining rack bars ofthat particular group through the medium of the relevant toothed rolleror gear 26.

To effect step-by-step movements of the groups of movable end stops 9towards and away from each other to fashion the fabric being knitted,the screwed shaft 45 is adapted to be racked in one direction or theother by pawl and ratchet mechanism, through the medium of intermeshinggears of a ratio appropriate to the gauge of the machine, under thecontrol of suitable timing or controlling means. Thus, as shown inFigure 5, the pawl and ratchet mechanism includes a single rack wheel 46which is mounted lto turn on a shaft 4l and is cut so as to have teeth46a suitable for racking in either direction. To the rack wheel 46 isattached a gear wheel 48 arranged in mesh with a pinion 49 secured uponthe screwed shaft 45. For cooperation with the rack wheel 46 there isprovided a pair of opposed pivoted rack pawls 50 and 5I which aremounted on a reciprocable racking member 52 and are connected by acontrolling tension spring 53. The racking member 52 is slidably engagedupon the shaft 4l, and atits outer end is connected to a suitablyfulcrummed bell-crank lever 54 adapted to be rocked from a cam-actuatedlever (not shown), through the medium of a link 55. rThe said lever mayconveniently be actuated by a cam on the main shaft of the machine.Pivot ally mounted at 56 upon the racking member 52 is a selector bluff5l thehead 51a of which is located between the opposed pawls 50 and 5|.The shank or stem 51h is slidably engaged in a socket 58 provided on avertically movable slide 59 supported in a convenient part of a bracket60. The lower portion of the vertical slide 59 is fitted with a pin 6|which works in a cam slot 62 formed in a horizontal slide 63 mountedbetween guideways in another part of the bracket 60. The outer end ofthe horizontal slide 63 is articulated to a further bell-crank lever 64which is connected, by means of an intermediate link 65, with a lever 66adapted to be actuated from the control drum of the machine. Theconstruction and arrangement are therefore such that the selector bluff5l is selected, by selective operation of the slides 59 and 63 to takeup one of three positions, according to requirements. Thus, when theslide 63 is pulled into such a position that the pin 6| is located inthe highest portion of the cam slot 62, the head 51a of the bluff 5lwill be turned downwards to render the lower pawl 59 inoperative and topermit engagement of the upper pawl 5| with the rack wheel 46, as aconsequence of which the said wheel will be racked anti-clockwise (asviewed in Figure 5). When on the other hand, the slide 63 is pushed intosuch a position that the pin 6| is located in the lowest portion of thecam slot, then the bluff head 51a will be swung upwards to take the pawl5| out of action and permit engagement of the rack wheel 46 by the pawl50, so enabling the said wheel to be racked clockwise. When the slide 63is moved to an intermediate or neutral position so that the pin 6|becomes located in the central portion 62a of the cam slot 62, the bluif5l will be horizontally disposed-with both "corresponding auxiliary'stopplate I2 'for the purposef checking the movement'and preventing "reboundof this plata-and hence alsoffthe splicing! yarn 'carrier i V'I 1,"WheneverK 4the i contact "p'i'ece I3 `on---the'pliatteis'moveclintocontact-@With` l-the-relevantins'ide' stop II. The bracket 'I5-on fwhichtheI 'right'ha'nd inside fstop fis formed-is attached to one'endfof aa` rack bar-18;*:Whilst` the corresponding'bracketi providedAwith r the left- -handinside xstop -is ysimilarly attached tota, mack"bar 'ISfthese two rack bars beingdisposedfparaly lel to each otherandmounted 'forf step-,b-yhstep movement longitudinally Within grooves.milled inea-housing ftted `with vcover -platesf 8 I The :two-rack bars7f3-and 'I9are -so inter-connected by gear meansas to be.- adapted -tomovelongi- 4-tudinallyiniA opposite| directions :.upon-r` movement ebeing impartedwto-fvone fof the-said barsponly. Thus,f"as-shown inFigures 1f and 2, the rack-bar =meshes`-with a-:pinion Y82"onfa spindlev83'Which @is mountedto -rotatein suitable bearings? in fixedf-bracketscne'lof #which -is indicated at:- r84,v and assistssupporting-the housing@ 80. -r :Another ffked-f, -bracket,- omitted'..-from' uthe-fv drawings, ttor 8 the fsalc'e :of clarity, would :alsoJae provided fat the front of th'e housing 89. x'llhe Lend of v'thespindle 283 Y:remote trom the l:pinion 182 :projects rearwardlythroughthe bracket 84 and ihas itted thereon a pair of ratchet Wheelsz85andaxwhich `are lormed "iwith rcspectively toppositely cut vteethandiarela'daptedatomo-loperate with .suitablyactuated oppositlysarranged1 pawls :81 and :8 3 wherei fby fthe :spindle 83 :and Lhence .also thepinion 'B2 :can be rotated stepwise :in :either ydirection according :to:requirements .The .track bar F19 :tsupi #porting the left-:hand inside.stop is Aengaged .by .aipinion :9X1 ion:a further spindle 19;! fmounted:for 'rotation :in ,theaaforementioned itbracket, lthe two spindlesf83zan'dsi9 I abeing;directly .geared-,together lby a :pair irof:intermeshing pinionsV 2 and 19,-3 :(ifigjureaa) isothat iwhenever.thezpinion 82 .rotated, `rotation .to the same extent abut ein Vfthe:opposite direction-,willfbe imparted :to ;;the;pinion 390.Inzthis-:waynthe twofinside stopsIfI 4aresi multaneouslymovableLstep-by-step in opposite dir'rections, vin accordance with i theamovements irn- .parted ,to fthe 4frzttchet :wheels 85 `and ,'86, 'to-de [termine@thecshapaofthe spliced areas .of the `fabric.

`,-'lo-enable'az-splicingyarn carrienl to be used,alte'rnativelwinthefsame:Wayas one ofthe ordi- :nary uyarn*'carriers-for:feeding-.yarn .f to a ;;com plete series oflneedlesinstea'd 0f merelytoafew :needles vfor f'splicing, provision may advantage- .ously be f made.f forten'rporarilyv taking' the inside .stops I I .out-.of;action ;by:movingthem4 aside out .of theirf normal.. li-na to, permit thesplicingl`vyarn carriers;to-passzby themzand make longer strokes.`

To thisvend,.thejhousings maybemade slidable ilaterallycin `:adirectionyat righteangles to v the drivenbarsffllfaindi7 thechannelled:v bar; housings; 5, Ilandbeoperated@and controlled,j in a'similar man* mer tosthef housings I5. lThus the housing. B-is adaptedfto be .drawn aside vrat predetermined 4timcsbyffailexiblefeableSIL-which' is attachedat one end-to ya ulcnummed cam: lever-195 (Figure)Voperable bylcams such as96 on the control drum Y3'I.The-opposi-teend,of the cablef94 isattached -tofa-stud. B'Ioon:thefhousing 80. VThe, cable :extends throughsanduworksl -ina tubularhousing 98 -4`the .appropriate ,end .-of :which is` fitted :in Y a@unioni-99 screwed intoethebracket--l .,Azspring may. be: provided-forrestoring the housing: 80. to its-original -vpositionaatter having!been drawn .aside.

#The movements-.vof awyarn .carrier i complete f-withuits platef inrelation toa xeduhome stop 1 82" and r a frrnovabler endstop =9 --willnow bev :briey .adescribedy-with referencef'toqEigures'l'e-lZ. lIn.EFigure 7; thea-yarn 'carrier I. -is inoperatiyap-,with Litho-plate3;;in;:contact with thezrelevant home S'st'opf 8; aW-hichcforillustration purposes;..is. 'atlthe right-'hand endrofA thezmachine.JAsiWill-fbetsc-en, Whenithe plateiS-is'irf this-position, vvthe contactcompressed. jf Ater. having tripped past the, movable end stop 9, atwhich time the plunger 21 is released, the yarn carrier I continues itsmovement towards the left-hand end of the machine and completes a strokein that direction. Thereupon the carrier makes a reverse stroke until,as depicted in Figure 9, the right-hand side of the contact piece Itcomes into engagement with the face 9a of the end stop 9 to arrest thecarrier. As previously explained, the stop 9 cannot yield in thisdirection by reason of the engagement of its tail portion 9a with theunderside of the bracket 23. The operative carrier I now proceeds tomove back and forth, feeding yarn to the needles, and being arrested atthe end of each stroke in the direction towards the righthand end of themachine by engagement of the right-hand side of the contact piece itiwith the face 9ct of the end stop 9. Whenever this happens, the plunger21 snaps into engagement with the left-,hand bevel formation 30 on theplate 3 to check the position of the carrier and prevent rebound thereofat the end stop. During these movements, however, the rack bar I4carrying the end stop 9 may be moved stepwise to vary the position ofthe said stop and so shape the fabric. When the last stroke of the yarncarrier I is nearly completed, immediately prior to the carrier beingtaken out of commission again (see Figure 10), the movable end stop S,together with the remaining end stops of the group, is moved aside,thereby permitting the contact piece I0 to pass freely by the stop B(Figure 1l) and return to the home stop 8 (Figure 12) The plates 3, withtheir contact lugs or pieces I0 of narrow Width the opposite sides ofWhich constitute closely disposed contact faces, are eminently suitablefor use in single head machines. As shown in Figure i3, a single contactpiece III can thus co-operate With the appropriate movable end stops 9operating from respectively opposite ends of the machine. This enablesthe width of such a machine to be kept to a minimum. In Figure 13, thetwo end stops 9 and the associated spring plungers 21 are shownpractically the minimum distance apart, the opposite sides Ita and IIlbof the contact piece I9 making contact with the right and left-handstops respectively as the plate 3 reciprocates between the two. Theleft-hand bevel formation 30 on the plate 3 co-operates with the plunger21 associated With the right-hand stop 9 to hold the contact piece Illfirmly in contact with the said stop at the termination of each strokeof the plate 3 to the right, whilst the right-hand bevel formationsimilarly co-operates with the plunger associated with left-hand stop tohold the contact piece against the same at the cornpleticn of eachreverse stroke of the plate.

Naturally, it is the fact of forming the contact pieces on plates suchas 3 which enables the yarn carrier driver bars I4 to be mounted in andenclosed by housings such as 5.

What We claim then is:

l. In a flat knitting machine, in combination, yarn carriers,selectively operable reciprocatory driver bars to which said yarncarriers are attached, contact pieces associated with the yarn carriers,'fixed home stops at each end of the machine with which the contactpieces associated vwith inoperative yarn carriers make contact, a groupof longitudinally movable end stops normally in alignment withcorresponding home stops at each end of the machine, means for carryingthe movable end stops, means for vary- ;ing the positions of ,the saidmovable end ,stops as knitting proceeds, each of the movable end stopsbeing yieldable in one direction but not in the other so that wheneversuch a stop is contacted by a contact piece associated with a selectedyarn carrier moving into operation the said stop Will be tripped toenable the contact piece to pass by it but when the said yarn cai'- rieris reciprocating during production of fashioned fabric the said stop,notwithstanding variations in the position thereof, will present a solidface to the contact piece at the end of each appropriate stroke of thethen operating yarn carrier, a housing at each end of the machine forthe carrier means of the corresponding group of movable end stops andmeans for moving the housings aside relatively to the yarn carrierdriver bars for the purpose of enabling any contact piece associatedwith a yarn carrier attached to a driver bar moving to take the saidcarrier out of action, to pass freely by the appropriate movable endstop and return into contact with the corresponding fixed home stop.

2. In a fiat knitting machine, in combination, a yarn carrier havingassociated therewith a contact piece, a reciprocatory driver bar towhich said carrier is attached, a fixed home stop at one end of themachine, a movable end stop which is normally in alignment with the homestop, means for carrying the movable end stop, means for varying theposition of the movable end stop as knitting proceeds, the said movableend stop being yieldable in one direction to enable the aforesaidcontact piece to pass it when the yarn carrier is brought into action,but not in the other direction, a housing for the movable end stopcarrier means, and means for moving the said housing laterally inrelation to the driver bar to enable the Contact piece when the yarncarrier is taken out of action, to pass freely by the end stop forreturn to the fixed home stop.

3. In a flat knitting machine, in combination, yarn carriers,selectively operable reciprocatory driver bars to Which said yarncarriers are attached, contact pieces associated with the yarn carriers,fixed home stops at each end of the machine with which the contactpieces associated with inoperative yarn carriers make contact, a groupof longitudinally movable end stops normally in alignment withcorresponding home stops Aat each end of the machine, means for carryingthe movable end stops, means for varying the positions of the saidmovable end stops as knitting proceeds, each of the movable end stopsIbeing yieldable in one direction but not in the other so that wheneversuch a stop is contacted by a contact piece associated with a selectedyarn carrier moving into operation the said stop will be tripped toenable the contact piece to pass by it but when the said yarn carrier isreciprocating during production of fashioned fabric the said stop,notwithstanding variations in the position thereof, will present a solidface to the contact piece at the end of each appropriate stroke of thethen operating yarn carrier, a housing at each end of the machine forthe carrier means of the corresponding group of movable end stops, meansfor moving the housings aside relatively to the yarn carrier driver barsfor the purpose of enabling any contact piece associated with a yarncarrier attached to a driver bar moving to take the said carrier out ofaction, to pass freely by the appropriate movable end stop and returninto contact with the corresponding fixed home stop, and means forautomatically restoring a housing to 1 l its original position after thecorresponding group `of movable end stops has been moved aside and soreturning the said stops in readiness for further use.

li, In a ilat knitting machine, in combination, yarn carriers,selectively operable reciprocatory driver bars to which said yarncarriers are attached, contact pieces associated with the yarn carriers,fixed home stops at each end of the machine With which the contactpieces associated with inoperative yarn carriers make contact, a groupof longitudinally movable end stops norinally in alignment withcorresponding home stops at each end of the machine, means for carryingthe movable end stops, means for varying the positions of the saidmovable end stops as knitting proceeds, each 'of the movable end stopsbeing yieldable in one direction but not in the other so that wheneversuch a stop is contacted by a contact piece associated with a selectedyarn carrier moving into operation the said stop will be tripped toenable the contact piece to pass by it but when the said yarn carrier isreciprocating during production of fashioned fabric the said stop,notwithstanding variations in the position thereof, will present a solidface to the contact piece at the end of each appropriate stroke of thethen operating yarn carrier, a housing at each end of the machine forthe carrier means of the corresponding group of movable end stops, meansfor moving the housings aside relatively to the yarn carrier driver barsfor the purpose of enabling any contact piece associated with a yarncarrier attached to a driver bar moving to take the said carrier out ofaction, to pass freely by the appropriate movable end stop and returninto contact with the corresponding fixed home stop, means forautomatically restoring a housing to its original position after thecorresponding group of movable end stops has been moved aside and soreturning the said stops in readiness for further use, and means forpositively maintaining the varying positions of the movable end stops ofeach group during movement aside and restoration to its originalposition of the corresponding housing.

5. A combination according to claim 1, wherein each of the said housingsis mounted on a slide arranged transversely with respect to the yarncarrier driver bars, and is adapted to be automatically moved aside atrequired times at the dictates of controlling means, through the mediumof intermediate connections.

d. In a flat knitting machine, in combination, yarn carriers,selectively operable reciprocatory driver bars to which said yarncarriers are attached, contact pieces associated with the yarn carriers,fixed home stops at each end of the machine with which the contactpieces associated with inoperative yarn carriers make Contact, a groupof longitudinally movable end stops normally in alignment withcorresponding home stops at each end of the machine, means for carryingthe movable end stops, means for varying the positions of the saidmovable end stops as knitting proceeds, each of the movable end stopsbeing yieldable in one direction but not in the other so that wheneversuch a stop is contacted by a contact piece associated with a selectedyarn carrier moving into operation the said stop will be tripped toenable the contact piece to pass by it but when the said yarn carrier isreciprocating during production of fashioned fabric the said stop,notwithstanding variations in the position thereof, will present a solidface t the Contact piece at the end of each appropriate stroke of thethenY operating yarn carrier, a housing at each end of the machine forthe carrier meansrof the corresponding group of movable end stops, cammeans for moving the housings aside relatively to the yarn carrierdriver bars for the purpose 0f enabling any contact piece associatedwith a yarn carrier attached to a driver bar moving to take the saidcarrier out of action, to pass freely by the appropriate movable endstop and return into contact with the corresponding fixed home stop, andspring means for automatically restoring a housing to its originalposition after the corresponding group of movable end stops has beenmoved aside and so returning the said stops in readiness for furtheruse.

7. In a fiat knitting machine, in combination, yarn carriers,selectively operable reciprocatory driver bars to which said yarncarriers are attached, contact pieces associated with the yarn carriers,xed home stops at each end of the machine vvith which the contact`pieces associated with inoperative yarn carriers make contact, a groupof longitudinally movable end stops normally in alignment withcorresponding home stops at each end of the machine means for carryingthe movable end stops, means for varying the positions of the saidmovable end stops as knitting proceeds, each of the movable end stopsbeing yieldable in one direction but not in the other so that Wheneversuch a stop is contacted by a contact piece associated with a selectedyarn carrier moving into operation the said stop will be tripped toenable the contact piece to pass by it but when the said yarn carrier isreciprocating during production of fashioned fabric the said stop,notwithstanding variations in the position thereof, will present a solidface to the contact piece at the end of each appropriate stroke of thethen operating yarn carrier, a housing at each end of the machine forthe carrier means of the corresponding group of movable end stops, acontrol drum, cam means on said drum, fulcrumed levers `adapted to beactuated by said cam means, iiexible cables between the said levers andthe housings whereby the latter can be pulled aside relatively to theyarn carrier driver bars for the purpose of enabling any Contact pieceassociated with a yarn carrier attached to a driver bar moving to takethe said carrier out of action, to pass freely by the appropriatemovable end stop and return into contact with the corresponding fixedhome stop, and spring means for automatically restoring a housing to itsoriginal position after the corresponding group of movable end stops hasbeen moved aside and so returning the said stops in readiness forfurther use.

8. In a fiat knitting machine, in combination, yarn carriers,selectively operable reciprocatory driver bars to which said yarncarriers are attached, contact pieces associated with the yarn carriers,xed home stops at each end of the machine with which the contact piecesassociated with inoperative yarn carriers make contact, a group oflongitudinally movable end stops normally in alignment withcorresponding home stops at each end of the machine, carrier means uponwhich the movable end stops are pivotally mounted, selectively operablecontrol means for moving the said carrier means longitudinallystep-by-step in either direction to vary the positions o f themovable'end stops as knitting'proceeds, each of the movable end stopsbeing yieldable in one direction but not in the other so that wheneversuch a stop is contacted by a contact piece associated with a selectedyarn carrier moving into operation the said stop will be tripped toenable the contact piece to pass by it but when the said yarn carrier isreciprocating during production of fashioned fabric the said stop,notwithstanding variations in the position thereof, will present a solidface to the contact piece at the end of each appropriate stroke of thethen operating yarn carrier, a housing at each end of the machine forthe carrier means of the corresponding group of movable end stops andmeans for moving the housings aside relatively to the yarn carrierdriver bars for the purpose of enabling any contact piece associatedwith a yarn carrier attached to a driver bar moving to take the saidcarrier out of action, to pass freely by the appropriate movable endstop and return into contact with the corresponding fixed home stop.

9. A combination according to claim 8, wherein the movable end stops areadjustable individually in relation to the said carrier means.

10. In a nat knitting machine, in combination, yarn carriers,selectively operable reoiprocatory driver bars to which said yarncarriers are attached, contact pieces associated with the yarn carriers,fixed home stops at each end of the machine with which the contactpieces associated with inoperative yarn carriers make contact, a groupof longitudinally movable end stops normally in alignment Withcorresponding home stops at each end of the machine, individual carriermembers furnished with brackets upon which the movable end stops arepivotally mounted, selectively operable control means for moving thesaid individual carrier membersen bloc longitudinally step-by-step ineither direction to vary the positions of the movable end stops asknitting proceeds, each of the movable end stops being yieldable in onedirection but not in the other so that Whenever such a stop is contactedby a contact piece associated With a selected yarn carrier moving intooperation the said stop will be tripped to enable the contact piece topass by it but when the said yarn carrier is reciprocating duringproduction of fashioned fabric the said stop, notwithstanding variationsin the position thereof, will present a solid face to the contact pieceat the end of each appropriate stroke of the then operating yarncarrier, a housing at each end of the machine for the individual carriermembers of the corresponding group of movable end stops, and means formoving the housings aside relatively to the yarn carrier driver bars forthe purpose of enabling any contact piece associated with a yarn carrierattached to a driver bar moving to take the said carrier out of action,to pass freely by the appropriate movable end stop and return intocontact with the corresponding iixed home stop.

il. In a fiat knitting machine, in combination, yarn carriers,selectively operable reciprocatory driver bars to which said yarncarriers are attached, contact pieces associated with the yarn carriers,fixed home stops at each end of the machine with which the contactpieces associated with inoperative yarn carriers make contact, a groupof longitudinally movable end stops normally in alignment withcorresponding home stops at each end of the machine, cross slides iittedwith parts upon which the movable end stops of the respective groups arepivotally mounted, longitudinally movable brackets in which the saidslides are accommodated, selectively operable control means for movingthe said lCiV brackets longitudinally step-by-step in either directionto vary the positions of the movable end stops as knitting proceeds,each of the movable end stops being yieldable in one direction but notin the other so that Whenver such a stop is contacted by a contact pieceassociated with a elected yarn carrier moving into operation the saidstop will be tripped to enable the contact piece to pass by it but whenthe said yarn carrier is reciprocating during production of fashionedfabric the said stop, notwithstanding variations in the positionthereof, will present a solid face to the contact piece at the end ofeach appropriate stroke of the then operating yarn carrier, means formoving the cross slides aside relatively to the yarn carrier driver barsfor the purpose of enabling any contact piece associated with a yarncarrier attached to a driver bar moving to take the said carrier out ofaction, to pass freely by the appropriate movable end stop and returninto contact with the corresponding fixed home stop. l

12. In a fiat knitting machine, in combination, yarn carriers,selectively operable reciprocatory driver bars to which said yarncarriers are attached, contact pieces associated with the yarn carriers,fixed home stops at each end of the machine With which the contactpieces associated with inoperative yarn carriers make contact, a groupof longitudinally movable end stops normally in alignment withcorresponding home stops at each end of the machine, individual toothedbars furnished with brackets upon which the movable end stops arepivotally mounted, selectively operable control means for moving thesaid individual toothed bars en bloc longitudinally step-by-step ineither direction to vary the positions of the movable end stops asknitting proceeds, each of the movable end stops being yieldable in onedirection but not in the other so that whenever such a stop is contactedby a contact piece associated with a selected yarn carrier moving intooperation the said stop will be tripped to enable the contact piece topass by it but when the said yarn carrier is reciprocating duringproduction of fashioned fabric the said stop, notwithstanding variationsin the position thereof,will present a solid face to the contact pieceat the end of each appropriate stroke of the then operating yarncarrier, a housing at each end of the machine for the individual toothedbars of the corresponding group of movable end stops, means for movingthe housings aside relatively to the yarn carrier driver bars for thepurpose of enabling any contact piece associated with a yarn carrierattached to `a driver bar moving to take the said carrier out of action,to pass freely by the appropriate movable end stop and return intocontact with the corresponding xed home stop, and in engagement with allof the toothed bars of each group, a correspondingly toothed roller forpositively maintaining the varying positions of the mov-- able end stopsof the group during movement aside of the corresponding housing.

13. In a dat knitting machine, in combination, yarn carriers,selectively operable reciprocatory driver bars to which said yarncarriers are attached, contact pieces associated with the yarn carriers,nxedhome stops at each end of thetmachine with Which the contact piecesassociated with inoperative yarn carriers. make contact, a group oflongitudinally `movable end Vstops normally in alignment withcorresponding home stops at each end of the machine.

carrier means uponwhich themovable end Stopsv are pivotally mounted, ascrewed shaft having right and left hand-threaded portions, connectionsbetween these portions ofl the said shaft and the movable end; stopcarrier means at respectively opposite ends of the machine, pawl andratchet machinism for racking round the screwed shaft in eitherdirection, means for controlling the operation of the pawl and ratchetmechanism whereby the movable end stop carrier means are moved step-Wiseto vary the positions' of the movable end stops at knitting proceeds,each of the movable end stops being yieldabley in` one direction but notin the other so that whenever such a stop is contacted by a contactpiece associated with a selected yarn carrier moving into operation thesaid stop willbe trippedV toA enable the contact piece to pass by it butwhen the said yarn carrier is reciproeating during production offashioned fabric the saidL stop, notwithstanding variations in theposition thereof, will present a solid face to the contact piece at theend of each appropriate stroke of the then operating yarn carrier, ahousingat each end of the. machine for the carrier means of thecorresponding group of movable end stops and means: for moving thehousings aside relatively to the yarn carrier driver bars for thepurpose of enabling any contact piece associated with the yarn carrierattached to a driver bar moving. to take the said carrier out of action,to pass freely by the appropriate movable end stop and return intocontact with the corresponding xed home stop.

14. A combination according to claim 13, wherein the pawl and ratchetmechanism comprises a single rack wheel having teeth suitable forracking in either direction, and, for co-operation with the said wheel,a pair of opposed pawls controllable by selective operation of anassociated blui.

15. In a flat knitting machine, in combina- 'tion, yarn carriers,selectively operable reciprocatory driver bars to which said yarncarriers are attached, contact pieces associated with the yarn carriers,fixed home stops at each end of the machine with which the contactpieces associated with inoperative yarn carriers make contact, a groupof longitudinally movable end stops normally in alignment withcorresponding home stops at each end of the machine, individual toothedbars furnished with brackets upon which the movable end stops arepivotally mounted, a toothedy roller engaged with all of the toothedbars of each group, a screwed shaft having right and left hand threadedportions, a nut engaged with each such portion of the shaft, a drivingdog which is mounted on each nut and engaged with one only of thetoothed bars of the corresponding group, pawl and ratchet mechanism forracking round the screwed shaft in either direction, means forcontrolling the operation of the pawl andY ratchet mechanism, thelongitudinal step-wise movements imparted by a driving dog to theengaged toothed bar being transmitted to the remaining toothed bars ofthe group through the medium of the corresponding toothed roller wherebythe toothed bars are movable en bloc to vary the positions of themovable end stops as knitting proceeds, each of the movable end stopsbeing yieldable in one direction but not in the other so that Wheneversuch a stop is contacted by a contact piece associated Y with a selectedyarn carrier moving into operation the said stop will be tripped toenable the offashioned` fabric the said stop, notwithstand-v ingvariations in the position thereof, will present a solid face to thecontact piece at the end oi each appropriate stroke lof the thenoperating yarn carrier, a housing at each end of the machine for theindividual toothed bars of thecorresponding group of movable end stops,and means for moving the housings aside relatively to the yarn carrierdriver bars for the purpose of enabling any contact piece associatedwith,y a yarn carrier attached to a driver bar moving to take the saidcarrier out of action, to pass freely by the appropriate movable endstop and; return into contact with the corresponding fixed home stop.

16. Ina flat knitting machine, in combination, yarn carriers,selectively operable reciprocatoiy driver barsI to whichl saidY yarncarriers are attached,v contact pieces associated with the yarncarriers, fixed home stops at each end of the mach-,ine with which thecontact pieces associated with inoperative yarn carriers make contact, agroup of longitudinallymovable end stops normally in alignment withcorresponding home stops at each end of the machine, means for carryingthe movable end stops, means for varying` the positions of the saidmovable end stops as knitting proceeds, each of the movable end stopsbeing yieldable in one direction but not in the other so that wheneversuch a stop is contacted by a contact piece associated with a selectedyarn carrier moving into operation the said stop will be tripped toenable the Contact piece to pass by it but when the said yarn carrier isreciprocating during production of; fashioned fabric the said stop,notwithstanding variations in the position thereof, will present a solidface to the contact piece at the end of each appropriate stroke of thethen operating yarn carrier, a housing at each end of the machine forthe carrier means of the corresponding groupy 0f movable end stops,means for moving the housings aside relatively to the yarn carrierdriver bars for the purpose of enabling any contact piece associatedwith a yarn carrier attached to a driver bar moving to take the saidcarrier out of action, to pass freely by the appropriate movable endstop and return into contact with the corresponding xe'd home stop, twoinside stops for controlling splicing yarn Carriers, two toothed barsupon which the :said inside stops are mounted, means for impartinglongitudinal movements in either direction to one only of the saidtoothed bars, and gear means for so nter-connecting the said toothedbars as to cause the two inside stops to move longitudinally in oppositedirections upon movement being imparted to the aforementioned single baronly.

17. A combination according to claim 16, wherein the toothed barscarrying the two inside stops are mounted in a housing which is movableaside in relation to the yarn carrier driver bars,

Y for the purpose herein described.

EDWARD SAMUEL BARSBY. ALFRED PERCY SAUNDERS.

References cited in the nie of this patent UNITED sTATEs PATENTS

